Charging structure for transit mixers



Oct. 26, 1954 c. Gr-:Rs'r 2,692,755

CHARGING STRUCTURE RoR TRANSIT MIXERs Filed Jan. sa.V 1952 4 sheets-sheet 1 JNVENToR. GHR/5 EERST Oct. 26, 1954 c;- GERS-|- CHARGING STRUCTURE FOR TRANSIT MIXERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 9, 1952 INVENTOR.

EHR/S EERST Oct. 26, 1954 C, GERST 2,692,765

CHARGING STRUCTURE FOR TRANSIT MIXERS Filed Jan. 9, 1952 4 sheets-sheet s I |i lll 2, 5 ai (o JNVENTOR.

UHR/s armer 5 14 MM C?. 41%m Oct- 26, 1954 l c. GERS-r CHARGING STRUCTURE FR TRANSIT MIXERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 9. 1952 I l lllll INVENTOR. UHR/S [3f/PS7' BY Patented Oct. 26, 1954 UNITED 1 smi S PAT GFFICEL.

CHARGING STRUCTU MIXE RE FOR TRANSIT RS' Application January 9, 1952, Serial No; 265,601 11 Claims.. (Cl. 259-7161) This. invention relates in general to concrete mixers, and, more particularly, to truck or transit mixers in which` a mixing drum with a charging and discharging opening axially at its rear end is rotatably mounted on the chassis of a truck for rotation abouta preferably inclined axis, the mixing drum receiving through its opening the ingredients for a concrete mixture and discharging through said opening the mixed concrete. These truck or transit mixers have their mixing drum generally associated with a shiftable charging `hopper positioned to direct the concrete makingingredients through the drum opening, which charging hopper generally includes a closure plate ordoor member rotatably mountedon the dising toy-permit free discharge of mixedconcrete` from the mixing drum.

The present invention is specicallyconcerned: n

Withtruck mixers having-their charging hop-` persconstructed and arranged Ain the manner describedl above and has for its principalfobject theprovision of new and improved supporting means forthe shiftable charginghopperroia 'z transit mixer, which supporting means-are 'off x1 ruggedconstruction, permit ready `and easyshifti ing of the hopper into cooperating positionwith respect to thecharging and dischargingopening'A of tlf1e-mixing drum, andare mounted` on the frame ofnthe transit` mixer-,Suas to readily ,alo-14 Sorb road shockslwithout disturbing the cooperat-.f

ing position .between themixing drum .opening.

and the hopper.

This. general object ofthe invention is attained bylyieldingly supporting the hopper-struc@` ture` of a transitmixer on. the web portion of a U-shaped frame structureA shiftably mountedforreciprocatory movements 'in axial alignment with the axis ofthe mixer drum, the frame structure including flangeseguided in parallelly arranged roller guides mounted kon. `brackets attached `to-z` thelzframe of the transit mixer and arrangedf parallel fto the axis of: the mixing drumV inqidi-r arnetrically opposed relation with respect` to the:

charging openingof `the mixer drum.-r

Anotherobject of .f the invention, thereforer-is` the rprovision of. a truck or transit mixer emi bodying a hopper structure supportedfbythewebr. portionof a U-shapedishiftable frame, theflangese` oftwhieh .ai-eishiftablyengaged with rollerguides mounted on' the. :frame ofthe Atruck mixer .inf symf-.zzy

2.? otherand the axiszofthemixerdrum-to position the-roller guides-,indiametrcaily opposed., relation `with respect; to .the charging opening of f the `mxingldrurn ofthe transit mixer.

A further objectzof the 4invention .is theprovision of a truck. mixerembodying a hopper structureof Vthe type referred to above in which their hopper structureembodiesea hoppery and a door member rotatably mounted thereon. in. which ythe hopper structurez-is .-pivotally supported on the... web portion of the U-shapedrame. structure by-. extensions .which have pivotal connections with the .hopper arrangednin,diametrically opposed@- relation .with ,respect tothe chargingopening of the mixing drum andy-infwhich -the hopper 'ad-w. ditionally is yieldingly coupled with the web portion of4 the U-shaped frame structures-to yieldingly absorb road Ashocks-impartedto the mixing.; drum `and hopper Without disturbing their. co-g .operating position-present in mixing and Vcharging A operations. l

Still other important objects of the` invention are to provide'a `truck mixer with a hopper -ar: rangementl adapted to permit rapid and inexpen-; l sive chargingandldischarging.operations of the mixing` vdrum of` thetruck mixer,.the hopperarrangement` beingo as-simplea design 4and-low i cost as possible and practical and eiiicientffor all` purposes intended..

Additionalobjects andnnovely features of construction, combinations and relations of `parts .by which the objects in viewhave been-attained will appear `and are-set forth; fin. detailin thecourse: of the .following specication. l

The drawings accompanying and forming `part onthe specification rillustrate a certain practical.` embodiment ofV the inventiom, butit will be apparent .as .the specification proceeds `that .thestructure .may befmodiiied and changed in various wayswithout departure from the truespiritl and broad scope `of 1 the invention..

In the drawings:

Fig-.l is a fragmentary v,viewwof-the `upper rear end-offra transitmixer-withV a hopper arrange-.- ment constructed v4in "accordance y with4 the ine vention, the hopper beingfshownin.coordinated-, charging andmixing` position with respectV tonthe` mixing drumr l, with. `the .hoppervshownz ini the discharge` :posi-s' tion yofM the .mixingrz drum:V

Figw is a fragmentary. viewazof ,therear end off .theztransitrmixerishowndniliig. 1:1; 1 andi Fig.g4 ist-a `front:elevation of-:fthef structure metricaLl.parallelrrelationrwith respectgrto eachfr shown\ir1-Eig-:.-f3,;l1f

Fig. is a side View partly in section and with parts broken away of the upper rear end of the transit mixer shown in Figs. 3 and 4; and

Fig. '6 is a longitudinal sectional View on line of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a side View, partly in section and with parts omitted showing the mounting and sealing connection or" the door structure on the discharge end of the hopper;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional View taken on line l-- of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken on line 9 9 of Fig. fl.

Referring now more in detail to the exemplified form of the invention shown in the drawings, reference numeral 2 denotes a transit mixer drum rotating a-bout a rearwardly, upwardly inclined axis. This mixing drum which includes at its rear frusto-conically shaped end 3 a circular, axially arranged charge and discharge opening l reinforced by a circular drip ring 5, is at its rear end rotatably supported on cradle rolls 6 mounted on a frame in turn, as customary, supported on the chassis of a truck, not shown. Mixing drum 2 is rotated by suitable means, also not shown, to eiect mixing of material charged thereinto with the assistance of generally spirally arranged blades mounted interiorly of the mixing drum and 4constructed to effect, on reversal of rotation of the druzn, discharge of material from the drum through opening 4.

The mixing drum is charged through a funnellike hopper 8 which is pivotally supported on a substantially U-shaped frame structure S shiftably engaged with supporting frame l. Hopper 8 has attached to its discharge end l two transverse brackets li arranged at opposite sides of the hopper and provided with short, trunnionlike portions l2 journaled in bores it of supporting arms i5, which are extended from web i5 of U-shaped frame structure 9. This arrangement mounts hopper 8 symmetrically between the rodlike side member ll of frame structure 9, which side members are slidably engaged with roller guides i8 attached to bracket members l mounted on symmetrically arranged uprights 2D of supporting frame 'i at opposite sides 0f mixing drum 2.

Roller guides it each consist of two spaced pairs of rollers 2i, the rollers 22 of which include grooved rims 23 and are freely rotatably mounted on studs 212 attached to bracket members E6. Each pair of rollers has its rollers 22 spaced from each other to properly guide the respective side member il of frame structure 9 and each two cooperating pairs of rollers are spaced from each other. The thus constructed roller guides are arranged in a plane including the axis of the mixing drum to guide the hopper supporting frame structure Si toward and away from material transfer opening li in axial alignment with the axis of the mixing drum.

Hopper which, as described above, is pivotally supported in supporting arms l 5 extended in the plane of U-shaped frame structure 9, is additionally yieldingly coupled with web it of the frame structure by a member 25 including a short rod 26 which has its one end connected to an ear portion 2l on hopper 8 and is extended through the perforation 28 of an ear portion 29 on web i6. A spring arrangement 35i, including two openings 3l and 32 on rod 2b yieldingly counteracts shifting of rod 2t in'ear portion 29 in one or the other direction and permits yielding tilting of the hopper on its pivotal support to yieldingly adjust 4 the hopper with respect to the charge and discharge opening il of the mixing drum.

Discharge end portion Ii)` of hopper which is smaller in diameter than opening of mixing drum 2 to permit proper, unimpeded feeding of material thereinto, freely rotatably supports a closure member 33 including a dished, ringshaped closure plate 3d and a short tubular discharge extension 35. Closure member t3 has its ring-shaped closure plate 3 4 and discharge extension 35 mounted on a combined bearing and sealing ring structure Sii, tlie outer ring member Si of which mounts discharge extension 35 and the inner ring member 38 of which encircles and is welded to discharge end portion til of hopper 8.

Outer ring member 3l is constructed of separate inner and outer ring elements is and Ml for purposes of assembly and disassembly which elements are sleeved upon each other and secured to each other by bolts 4|. The inner ring element 3d has extended thereinto discharge extension 35 preferably welded thereto and the outer ring element 453 having angular cross section, is rigidly connected by its circumferential radial flange 42 to ring-shaped closureplate 3ft. Inner ring element 39 is constructed with an inclined, inner, annular sealing shoulder (i3 arranged in the central portion thereof, an outer annular sealing shoulder it near one end wall and an annular groove iii in said end wall. Outer ring element et) includes a recessed bore 47 providing said element with an inner annular sealing shoulder d8 and additionally has extended from radial fiange d2 circumferential lateral fla-nge 59.

Inner ring member 38 is constructed of separate, adjoining, inner and outer ring elements 5t, 5| for purposes of assembly and disassembly, which elements are secured to each other by bolts 52. Inner ring element 5E) is welded to discharge end portion l@ of hopper s and has an inner circumferential flange 53 arranged parallel to the axis of ring member 50. This circumferential flange includes an inclined end face 5ft the plane of which extends parallel to the plane of annular shoulder 43 in inner ring element 39 to eiiect proper sealing contact between end face 5t and shoulder 43 when in contact with each other. Inner ring element 5G, furthermore, includes an annular rib 55 adapted to t and extend into annular groove 46 of inner ring element 39. The inner ring element 5i embodies a hanged tubular body 56 having a recessed bore 5'! and is arranged between ring elements 35i and Il@ of outer seal ring member 37. Tubular body 5e when positioned between ring elements 38 and 39 ccntacts with its inner wall the outer wall of inner ring element 39, annular sealing shoulder dil, and, furthermore, contacts with its one end wall sealing shoulder 48, with its outer wall the inner wall of recessed bore il in outer ring element d, and with its flange 58 the outer face of radial flange 42 and the inner face of circumferential flange 49. The length of the body 56 of ring element 5| is substantial to eiect proper bearing and sealing contact in extended areas of inner and outer ring members 39 and 40, which areas include oil or grease grooves hereinafter to be described and shouldered contact areas arranged at right angles to the extended contact areas.

The described combined bearing and sealing ring structure provides properly designed, ex-

tended, interengaged male and female bearing elements protected from contact with abrasive constituents of the concrete mixture by sealing means which are formed as parts of said strucmeegaan-f 5 tu'fie; andv constructed to enclostlfelbaiing fabes" of "said bearing" elements iby; extended'sealing" surfaces arranged Y'parallel to 'the l"bearing surfaces. Smooth" operation of=th"e 'combiiid bearing and sealing' ring'structureiseifectedby` 5 5' manual rotation of shaft tlarid 'therewithv` 'shiftf ing of hopper supporting frame structureL 9.5

When the hopper supporting frame structure is"`in itsl discharge positionfmixed concretedis" charged through opening 4 from mixing v-drumZ is discharged into symmetrically 'arrangedfunnel` like members 'l2 supported on stationary frame 1 which members in turn guide suchconcrete 'to'A a distributing chute 13.

The charging structure for transit mixers'de-" 30T' scribed herein in connection with the accompany"-'` ing' drawings embodies simple arideiiicient4 means" for supporting and shiftingthe charging hopper*I and closure member of a mixer in`proper posi' tion to the charge opening of its mixing' `drum,A which means prevent' 'misalignment'lof the closure member with respect to the charg'efopen-i ing "of the mixer and permitl limited'angular movements as may be caused'by road shocks, etc. between the mixing drum and 'closuiememberiwithout destroying their proper-alignment;

It is obvious that the illustrated anddescribed' l form of theinvention may be varied in detail of construction, as well as in the arrangement of parts, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims Having thus described my invention, what-'"1 claim is:

1. -In a concrete mixer a supporting framafa rotatable mixing drum `mounted on said'fraine" having an axial opening at one endthrough'whih'? thedrumis charged and discharged, a shiitablel' hopper structure includingxa *U-shapedsframe' with parallelly arranged legs, a charging hopper mounted on the said U-shaped frame to partly extend therethrough and an annular closure member rotatably mounted on said hopper arranged to align with the axial opening of the mixing drum and seal such opening when the hopper structure is shifted toward the mixing drum, and spaced roller track means supported by said supporting frame and extended in parallel, symmetrical relation with respect to the axis of the mixing drum, said roller track means engaged with the legs of the U-shaped frame to properly support the shiftable hopper structure and guide shifting of the frame, charging hopper and closure member of the shiftable hopper structure when shifted toward and from the said mixing drum.

2. A concrete mixer as described in claim 1, wherein the supporting frame includes oppositely arranged bracket members symmetrically related to the axis of the mixing drum, wherein each of these bracket members supports a roller track 3. --'A concrete-mixerLV as' described i in Aclaim 2, including shiftingfmeansfor-'shifting said-hopper structure, said shifting-means embodying a shaft trackmea'ns mounted-thereon and extending at a right' anglefto'therotary'axis ofthe `mixing drum, leverf'arms on saidlshaft, link members connecting said lever arms i to symmetrically arranged areas loflthelwe'b porticnoflthe U-shaped frame, and worm". 'drive'ifmeansf-Fmounted on'4 one of` said brackets andcoii'pled l with! saidA shaft, said worm drivef" ine'ansl adapted'to -effect rotation of said shaft Lto' permitshifting -offtheihopper structure toward? and-mfroin thelmixing' drum.

4.Inlfaconcrete'mixera supporting frame, 'a rotatable mixing-drum mounted onisaid frame andlf-iavingl-any axial opening at one -end through v whicttithe drum-fisohargedand discharged, a shiftable':hopperstructure.including a U-shaped Y a charging hopperA mounted on said U-shaped frame includinga combined extension and closure member-rota'tably attached and sealed to said'charginghopper,y said extension and closure member embodyinga tubular extension dimensioned tolbe" extended into "the axial opening of the mixingfldrum and a ring-shaped closure member sleeved upon' the -tubular-extension and secured l thereto adjacent the-rearend-thereof and adapted teelten; 'seaiingef:theaxiai-openingof the mixing drumuwhe'ntheextension and closure member extendsfi-with-its tubular-4 exte'nsionpartly into I the i mixingidrumA-thfrough the axial opening thereof, Aanda pair'ofirollerltrack'means on said supportvling framearrang'edlin symmetrical, parallel rela- 5. Aconcrete'-mixerlfas-described in' claim? 4,

whereinv l the diameterl'of the i tubular extension of the combined `extension and closure member is substantially/smaller" than the `diameter ofthe axial opening of the mixing drum-to permit unimpeded entering'lo'f the tubular extension in the mi'xirigv drumffthrough Tsufchi axial i openingl A'and 'l dischargingfofl concrete "-frm l the mixing drumll through its axial opening when the ring-shaped closure member is not in sealing position.

6. A concrete mixer as described in claim 4, wherein the combined extension and closure member is rotatably and axially non-shiftably attached to the end of the hopper by combined bearing and sealing means embodying ringshaped, rotatably and axially non-shiftably interengaged members attached to the rear end of said tubular extension and the lower end of the charging hopper.

7. A concrete mixer as described in claim 6, wherein said combined bearing and sealing means includes an outer bearing and sealing sleeve attached to the combined extension and closure member and assembled from two elongated, intersleeved bearing members shaped and dimensioned to form between said members an elongated, cylindrical inner bearing and sealing chamber, having stop shoulder portions at opposite ends, and a sleeve attached to the end of the hopper and extended into said sealing chamber, said inner bearing and sealing sleeve including a cylindrical sleeve portion positioned within the sealing chamber between the stop shoulder portions thereof and an attachment sleeve portion mounted on the lower end of said hopper and secured to the cylindrical sleeve portion of said inner bearing and sealing sleeve.

8. 1n a concrete mixer a supporting frame, a rotatable mixing drum on said frame having an axial opening at one end through which such mixing drum is charged and discharged, a shiftable hopper structure including a U-shaped frame having parallel legs shiftab-ly supported at spaced points by said supporting frame, a charging hopper pivotally supported by said shiftable frame in the plane thereof, a closure rotatably mounted on said hopper arranged to close the opening of the mixing drum when brought into contact therewith, a pair of track means mounted on said supporting frame in symmetrical, laterally olset parallel relation to the axis of the mixing drum adapted to support and guide the U-shaped frame, the charging hopper and the closure of the shiftable hopper structure toward and from said mixing drum in axial alignment therewith, and shifting means for the frame of said shiftable hopper structure, said shifting means mounted on said supporting frame and coupled with the U-shaped frame of the shiftable hopper structure.

9. In a concrete mixer, a supporting frame, a rotatable mixing drum mounted on said frame and having an axial opening at one end through which the drum is charged and discharged, a shiftable hopper structure including a shiftable frame having laterally spaced parallelly arranged legs, a charging hopper pivotally mounted on said shiftable frame and partially extended therethrough between the legs thereof in axial alignment therewith and a closure rotatably mounted on said hopper and arranged to close the opening of said mixing drum when brought into Contact therewith, and a pair of track means mounted on said supporting frame in symmetrical, laterally offset parallel relation to the axis of said mixing drum, said track means adapted to support the legs of said shiftable hopper frame at spaced points for guiding said structure and its Charging hopper and the closure supported thereby toward and from said mixing drum in alignment with the axis thereof.

10. In a concrete mixer, a supporting frame, a rotatable mixing drum mounted on said frame and having an axial opening at one end through which the drum is charged and discharged, a shiftable hopper structure including a shiftable U-shaped frame having laterally spaced parallelly arranged legs, a charging hopper vertically, yieldingly tiltably mounted on said shiftable frame, between the legs thereof in axial alignment therewith and a closure rotatably mounted on said hopper and arranged to close the opening of said mixing drum when brought into contact therewith, and a pair of track means mounted on said supporting frame in symmetrical, laterally ofset parallel relation to the axis of said mixing drum, said track means adapted to support the legs of said shiftable hopper frame for guiding said structure and its charging hopper vand the closure supported thereby toward and from Y said mixing drum in alignment with the axis thereof.

11. in a concrete mixer, a supporting frame,

a rotatable mixing drum mounted on said frame and having an axial opening at one end through which the drum is charged and discharged, a shiftable hopper structure including a shiftable U-shaped frame having laterally spaced parallelly arranged legs, a charging hopper pivotally mounted on said shiftable frame between the legs thereof in axial alignment therewith for tilting in a vertical plane and being additionally yieldingly coupled with the web portion of said shiftable frame to yieldingly counteract vertical tilting of said hopper in said shiftable frame and a closure rotatably mounted on said hopper and arranged to close the opening of said mixing drum when brought into contact therewith, and a pair n of track means mounted on said supporting frame in symmetrical, laterally offset parallel relation to the axis of said mixing drum, said track means adapted to support the legs of said shiftable hopper frame for guiding said structure and its charging hopper and the closure supported thereby toward and from said mixing drum in alignment with the axis thereof.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNXTED S'I'ATES PATENTS Number Name Date 615,519 Barr Dec. 6, 1898 1,827,713 Eggert Oct. 13, 1931 2,374,912 Barnes May 1, 1945 2,451,555 Hilkemeier et al. Oct. 19, 1948 2,544,083 Hawkins Mar. 6, 1951 2,544,084 Hilkemeier et al Mar. 6, 1951 2,544,545 Rockburg Mar. 6, 1951 

